''Chromodoris magnifica'', also known as the magnificent sea slug is a

sea slug Sea slug is a common name for some Marine biology, marine invertebrates with varying levels of resemblance to terrestrial Slug, slugs. Most creatures known as sea slugs are gastropods, i.e. they are Sea snail, sea snails (marine gastropod moll ...

, a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

nudibranch Nudibranchs () are a group of soft-bodied marine gastropod molluscs, belonging to the order Nudibranchia, that shed their shells after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colours and striking forms, and they have b ...

, a shell-less marine

gastropod Gastropods (), commonly known as slugs and snails, belong to a large Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, freshwater, and fro ...

mollusc Mollusca is a phylum of protostome, protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant taxon, extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum ...

in the family

Chromodorididae Chromodorididae, or chromodorids, are a taxonomic family of colourful sea slugs; dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Doridoidea. “Chromodorid nudibranchs are among the most gorgeously coloured of all animals.� ...

. It is the type species of the genus ''Chromodoris''.

Distribution

This nudibranch is found in the central area of the

Indo-Pacific The Indo-Pacific is a vast biogeographic region of Earth. In a narrow sense, sometimes known as the Indo-West Pacific or Indo-Pacific Asia, it comprises the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the ...

region from

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

and the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is ...

and Eastern

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Description

''Chromodoris magnifica'' can reach a maximum size of in length. The body is elongate with a foot which is distinct from the upper body by a skirt like mantle hiding partially the foot. The branched gills and the

rhinophore A rhinophore is one of a pair of Chemoreceptor, chemosensory club-shaped, rod-shaped or ear-like structures which are the most prominent part of the external head anatomy in sea slugs, Marine (ocean), marine gastropod opisthobranch mollusks suc ...

s are orange colour and can be withdrawn into specific pockets under the skin in case of danger. The specific epithet ''magnifica'' in ''Chromodoris magnifica'' means magnificent, so-named because of this nudibranch's striking, vibrant colors. The background colour of the body is bluish white which varies in intensity from one specimen to another. On the mantle, the bluish area is outlined by two continuous black lines and a median continuous line crosses it also. These bluish parts are often marked with dash-like black lines. The margin of the mantle is bordered with a large white band with a central orange colour line, the width of these lines is variable for each specimen. The foot has three black continuous longitudinal lines. Its background colour is the same as its mantle. The margin of the foot is outlined by an orange and a white line. This species is easily confused with the similar looking '' Chromodoris quadricolor''. ''Chromodoris magnifica'' can be distinguished by its submarginal orange border.Rudman, W.B., (8 April 1998
''Chromodoris magnifica'' (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832).
n/nowiki> Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.

Ecology

''Chromodoris magnifica'' feeds on

sponge Sponges or sea sponges are primarily marine invertebrates of the animal phylum Porifera (; meaning 'pore bearer'), a basal clade and a sister taxon of the diploblasts. They are sessile filter feeders that are bound to the seabed, and a ...

s and has been observed feeding on red and grey sponges.Rudman W.B. & Bergquist, P.R., 2007. "A review of feeding specificity in the sponge-feeding Chromodorididae (Nudibranchia: Mollusca). Molluscan Research 27(2): 60–88. Image:Chromodoris magnifica (juvenille).jpg, ''Chromodoris magnifica'' juvenile in

Puerto Galera Puerto Galera, officially the Municipality of Puerto Galera (), is a municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 41,961 ...

. Image:Chromodoris magnifica.jpg, ''Chromodoris magnifica.''

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q2262681 Chromodorididae Gastropods described in 1832